“You Can Never Step Into the Same Roster Twice” — The Chaotic Trade Ledger of GM Shawn Lawrence

By Rick Graves, Toronto Financial Hockey Post

There’s roster turnover, and then there’s whatever it is that GM Shawn Lawrence is doing in New Jersey. The Devils haven’t just been “active.” No, that term is too gentle. Over the course of Season 34 into 35 and into today’s snapshot, Lawrence has performed an exorcism on the roster he inherited and built. Players enter and exit so fast, the nameplates on lockers may as well be written in chalk.

Heraclitus once said, “You can never step into the same river twice.” Lawrence must have it chistled on his clipboard.

The real question for Devils fans and hockey investors alike is: Was any of this successful?
And to answer that, we have to look at it the way we would a financial portfolio — assets in, assets out, and what’s left holding the bag.

📊 TRADE ANALYSIS: NET FLOW OF ASSETS

Let’s break this down into basic math. Forget the fluff. Here’s what New Jersey gave up and what came back:

🔻 TRADED AWAY (Key Departures across Seasons 34–35 and offseason):

🎯 Skater Assets Out:

• Troy Terry (72 pts)
• Pavel Zacha (57 pts)
• Sam Bennett (47 pts)
• Brock Boeser (47 pts)
• Dougie Hamilton (48 pts)
• David Perron (50 pts)
• Tyler Bertuzzi
• Sean Monahan
• Jacob Trouba (47 pts)
• Morgan Rielly (48 pts)
• Warren Foegele
• William Carrier
• Nicklas Backstrom
• Conor Timmins
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson
• Tyler Johnson
• Igor Shesterkin (Starting goalie, .899 sv%)
• Michael Bunting
• Mattias Samuelsson
• Various Picks (including DAL 2nd 2024, NJ 3rd 2024, and more)

In total:

✔️ ~9 full-time NHL forwards
✔️ ~6 NHL-level defensemen
✔️ 1 elite goaltender
✔️ 14 picks (including 1st and 2nd rounders)

🔼 RECEIVED (Assets In):

🎯 Key Skaters In:

• Kirill Marchenko (54 pts)
• Matias Maccelli
• Yegor Sharangovich
• Blake Lizotte
• Aliaksei Protas
• Michael Carcone
• Josh Morrissey (64 pts)
• Rasmus Sandin (46 pts)
• John Ludvig
• Jacob Middleton
• Declan Chisholm
• Dylan Coghlan
• Justin Danforth

🧱 Prospects and Picks Acquired:

• DAL 1st 2024, 2025, 2027
• EDM 1st 2026, TOR 1st 2025, PHO 1st 2024, PIT 1st 2026
• Multiple 2nds and 3rds
• Dustin Wolf (Goaltending prospect)
• Cash: Approx. $18–20M in deals

In total:

✔️ ~9 new skaters (all middle-6 or bottom-6 quality)
✔️ 2-3 quality NHL defensemen
✔️ 7 First-Round Picks across 2024–2028
✔️ Cap space/cash and cost-controlled contracts
✔️ Goalie prospect Dustin Wolf (starter potential)

💰 THE STOCK EXCHANGE VIEW: GAIN OR LOSS?

Stock Outlook of New Jersey Devils’ Assets Over Time:

🧮 TOTAL TRADE BALANCE SHEET

📤 Total Assets Traded Away:

• ~1600+ combined NHL points
• Elite goaltending
• 10+ NHL-caliber roster players
• Veteran leadership, playoff experience
• Future picks (mid-tier)

📥 Total Assets Received:

• ~500+ points from incoming players
• Cost-controlled contracts
• 7 First-Round Picks
• Starting goalie prospect
• Salary cap flexibility
• Rebuild core pieces (Sandin, Marchenko, Wolf)

🔍 FINAL VERDICT: WAS IT SUCCESSFUL?

As a stock trader, I’d call this a liquidation of premium assets in exchange for long-term bonds and speculative tech stocks. You’re selling the blue-chips (Shesterkin, Boeser, Terry) while they’re still delivering returns and buying into potential (Wolf, picks, youth) that might deliver in 3–5 years.

It’s a high-risk play.

Shawn Lawrence absolutely gutted a competitive team to build a war chest of picks and cap space — which might pay off big. But today? This team is a mid-tier club with no elite goaltending and questionable depth behind McDavid.

It’s Heraclitus GMing: constant change, endless churn, and philosophical detachment from any version of "team identity."

So... was he successful?

🔻 In the short term: No. The Devils are worse today than they were at the end of Season 34.
🔼 In the long term: Maybe. If those picks hit, and Wolf is the real deal, and McDavid re-signs — this could be a rebuild masterclass.
❓ Right now: It’s a fascinating case study in asset rotation. But from where I sit in Toronto? It looks like Lawrence just sold the farm for stock options in 2030.

Final Score:

📉 Short-Term Grade: C-
📈 Long-Term Potential: A-
🧠 Strategic Clarity: B
💥 Entertainment Value: A+

Until next time — keep your chalkboards handy. In Jersey, names don't last long.

— Rick Graves, Toronto Financial Hockey Post

I'm posting this to remind Matt Kessel that he already shoots right.

I’m posting this for Shawn to remind Grant that he should consider opening up player finds and that Matt Kessel actually shoots right…

The Season…. Begins

The season will Begin Thursday afternoon. Have your lines and ticket prices set!!!!

Preseason has FINALLY (no thanks to me) come to a close. It is time for the Waiver draft. 

As a reminder you must have the cap space available to claim a player. You cannot make a roster move to fit them in.

The draft will be held on the chat and will begin at 9PM tonight (July 7th). NOTICE OF CHANGE. I'm only going to wait on the first 5 picks this season as this draft is slim pickens and I dont want to hold things up. 6+ will get 30 minutes per team. Please submit me a list of players if you cannot attend.

You can see the eligible list of players here: https://www.canadianelitehockeyleague.ca/WaiverDraft.php

Please see the draft order below based on last seasons standings with Seattle going first.. Each team only gets one pick

Awards!

This is just a reminder.  

Sorry for the delay boys! Creations are almost done, but we will proceed with pre-season which is 14 games so I want to get it going.

Pre-season will start tomorrow afternoon (June 10th). As a reminder you do not need to be cap compliant until the end of preseason. The 2M preseason cash has also yet to be added.

Sorry for the delay folks, need to push FA for a day to get everything updated.

Free Agency will start Friday at 3PM EST.

As usual, active FA's can be seen on the FA page.

https://www.canadianelitehockeyleague.ca/FreeAgents.php

Offer can be seen from the offers page, or you can just so your offer status in your 'My Offers' section under MyCEHL

https://www.canadianelitehockeyleague.ca/FreeAgentOffers.php

As a reminder anyone under 27 is an RFA and requires compensation.

The first two rounds of the 2024 draft went smoothly. Now onto the later rounds! 

Second half of the draft will be held this Wednesday at 8pm est.

Please send me a list if you cannot make it. 

2024 CEHL Draft Info.

TODAY AT 8PM EST (April 17th)

You can access the draft page here: Canadian Elite Hockey League

Or you can go to the draft page and press on the ‘Enter Live Draft’ button.

Board should be updated but please verify your picks!